


Scream.  Aim.  Fire. [9]

by LunaEchelon



Series: Tommy and Dani [9]
Category: Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 04:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaEchelon/pseuds/LunaEchelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ali makes a surprise visit to Tommy Joe while he is out trying to patch things up with Dani and trouble ensues.</p><p>NO SMUT IN THIS</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scream.  Aim.  Fire. [9]

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not know or own Tommy Joe Ratliff or Adam Lambert in part or whole. They do not know of my fan fiction (to the best of my knowledge). Everything written (unless otherwise stated) is fiction and has not happened and probably will not happen. How characters are portrayed may not be indicative of their actual personalities. Take everything with a pinch of salt. Any similarities between this fic and your life are a complete coincidence and should not be read into. In other words ITS NOT REAL!

There was enough tension in the air to be cut with a cheese wire as Tommy Joe and Dani sat in the corner of the coffee shop. It wasn't their usual spot but prying camera's had become aware of their habits and followed them – especially since it had become blaringly obvious that something was not right with their relationship. It seemed Tommy Joe was reading something new everyday and the only that really hurt was the fact that a lot of it was actually true.

 

Ali had wasted no time in going to the press and selling her story to the highest bidder, only instead of telling them exactly what had happened she stuck in a few of her own sordid details that made Tommy Joe sick to read; he had purposefully made sure Dani hadn't read any of the papers but he couldn't ban her from the internet, luckily she hadn't got angry when he had explained and she had seen it was just because Tommy Joe didn't want her reading anything into it.

He had painstakingly told her everything that had happened that night to make sure there was nothing she didn't know. She had thrown up twice. Cried. Punched. Kicked and eventually collapsed into his arms at just past midnight.... nearly 24 hours after he had cheated.

 

“More coffee?” Tommy Joe smiled at Dani.

“Please.” Dani returned the smile and something inside Tommy Joe heaved a sigh of relief; it had taken a full week for Dani to speak to him again although she had not left his apartment except for work – even then she was continually texting him to make sure of where he was. Tommy Joe had become annoyed but soon realised he completely deserved everything she threw at him; including the lamp that had barely missed him.

 

Tommy Joe sat down with more coffee; sitting closer to her than he had before and secretly praying that she didn't move away; his prayers were answered as she sighed and closed her eyes before laying her head on his shoulder.

 

Tommy Joe had said sorry so many times that the word seemed foreign to him and Dani had eventually screamed at him to shut the fuck up and stop apologising – it wasn't that she didn't believe him it was just she was sick of hearing it and was starting to feel guilty for not accepting it straight away.

 

She had literally sat by him as he had uploaded a video to the internet telling his fans the truth; that yes he had cheated but not to believe everything the paper said. Dani had spoken out that they were working things out and that no they had not split up. Tommy Joe had thanked his fans for their support and slammed the haters. And they had kissed at the end and smiled; it had been their fist kiss or smile in a week.

 

“TJ...” Dani twisted but did not remove her hair from Tommy Joe's shoulder, he smiled and looked at her pleased to hear her calling him TJ, she had spent the last 4 days calling him Tommy Joe and he had felt like he was five again being yelled at for breaking a window.

 

“Yeah baby?” Tommy Joe chanced the affection.

“I've missed this. I've missed you.”

“I've missed you to sweets.” Tommy Joe kissed Dani's forehead.

“Don't think this means you're completely forgiven.”

“I don't expect you to forgive me for a very long time. I know I have to earn your trust again.”

 

Tommy Joe felt Dani nodding against his shoulder and they sat in silence for hours just drinking coffee and eating coffee shop toast; it was getting dark when the door was rammed open and Tommy Joe winced as he heard a familiar voice. Dani had never heard Ali speak but she knew instantly by the way Tommy Joe had reacted who this blonde amazon was.

They both stood and realised apart from an old man they were the only people still in the coffee shop.

 

Ali was in jeans and a t-shirt, a leather jacket was draped over her arm and her hair was tied back, her make-up was smudged like she had been crying.

 

“You have made a complete fool out of me!” she screamed.

 

“Likewise.” Tommy Joe's voice was flat and low.

 

“Do you have any idea what this has done to me?”

 

“Then you shouldn't have gone to the media should you? I certainly wasn't going to say anything!” Tommy Joe's mind flashed back 5 days to Monte and Isaac pacing the floor in front of him and Dani; yelling at him that he was a complete and utter dick and why the hell did he have to mess up the best thing that ever happened to him? Tommy Joe had not been able to switch off so easily; especially when Monte's fist had met with his jaw and his lip had split open. It was still healing.

 

“I am the laughing stock of my friends...”

 

“Well you didn't have to tell the papers I ran out on you did you?” Tommy Joe felt Dani shift beside him and he knew she was uncomfortable with all of this. He was sure Ali was doing this on purpose. Had she been watching them? How would she know where they were? Tommy Joe had changed his number to make sure she couldn't contact him and he had made a point of giving Dani the new number.

 

“SHUT UP!” she screeched. “You fucking man whore...” Ali turned to Dani “Ya know something chick you're better off without him... he cheated on you this time and he's sure as hell gonna do it again!”

 

“I doubt it.” Dani spoke firmly but the waver in her voice was obvious. Either she wasn't sure or she was close to crying. Or both.

It was now that Tommy Joe had seen the gathering crowd and realised how loud Ali had been screaming. There were cameras, film cameras and digital cameras and plenty of reporters – she was sure as hell going to drag this out as long as she could.

 

“Well... I know one thing is for fucking sure...” Ali stepped closer to Dani “If I cannot have him.... you aren't either.... and you will be alone!” She turned to Tommy Joe and pointed her finger in his face.

 

~~

 

He didn't know how it happened and he was sure it happened faster than it seemed. Ali had been hiding a gun under the leather jacket and he was sure she had neglected to tell the reporters and photographers that little piece of information.

Ali had aimed the gun squarely on Dani and squeezed the trigger. There had been a delay between the trigger and the bullet leaving the gun – not a lot, maybe only a split second but in that time Tommy Joe had put himself between the bullet and Dani.

 

He had felt it hit him; like a sudden immense pressure but there was no pain. He was surprised as he fell and hit his head on the floor. He only knew he hit his head because he rebounded off the floor before coming to lay on his side.

 

He felt hands rolling him over and looking up he saw Dani and smiled but only until the pain in his stomach kicked in as Dani put pressure over the bleeding wound.

Everything had seemed to go quiet but now he could hear everyone screaming and yelling and then.... another shot. He looked to Dani who's face was covered in blood and his heart skipped at least three beats but she was fine just in shock. Looking to his left he saw the body slump to the floor.

 

She was still breathing but her jaw was blown off. Blood pooled around her face and Tommy Joe found himself not being able to take his eyes away from what was surely going to be a corpse any moment now. Her eyes were cold and hard as she watched him.... Ali had not banked on him saving Dani she had thought he would just stand there too shocked to do anything.

 

Tommy Joe turned his head back to Dani; moving his right hand he placed it on her cheek and tried to wipe away some of the blood but only smudged and smeared it.

Dani looked at Tommy Joe with tears in her eyes, he couldn't see where her hands were but he knew he was losing blood. He wasn't as dumb as everyone thought he was.

 

“Baby...TJ... I forgive you. I completely forgive you and I'll make sure that I never do anything again that makes you think you need to cheat...”

 

Tommy Joe tried to say none of it was her fault but all that left his mouth was a gurgle and a taste of blood filled the space.

 

“TJ...I love you so much. I knew we were going to be good together the moment I saw you and I sold you coffee!” Dani half laughed.

 

“I've never met anyone like you before.... I'm comfortable around you, I can be me and I know you'll laugh with me, not at me. I know you think I'm pretty even when I'm hacking my lungs up with the flu and you wouldn't have me any other way than in my baggy sweat pants and one of your t-shirts with my hair pulled back and balled up on the back of my head with a cheap elastic band.”

 

Tommy Joe smiled and nodded and groaned in pain.

 

“Oh fuck baby....please...please don't die on me.... I love you, I need you and I want to be with you forever!”

 

There were voices calling out for people to move out of the way. Male voices, Dani screaming as she was pulled away. Tommy Joe tried to hold onto her but the blood made it hard and he felt so weak. So tired. He wondered why he wasn't seeing the bright white light that he was supposed to; although he did feel completely at peace all of a sudden but maybe that was because Dani had forgiven him.

 

He felt himself being lifted and moved; he was on a stretcher and was wheeled out into an ambulance. Camera flashes blinded what was left of his sight and then the doors closed.


End file.
